CHICAGO, Ill. – Governor JB Pritzker and leaders of Illinois’ higher education system have launched One Click College Admit – a statewide direct admissions program for Illinois public universities and community colleges.
Through the One Click program, high school seniors and community college transfer students across Illinois will receive college acceptances into the state’s public universities by meeting one criterion for admission: grade point average. The new program waives applications, application fees, essays and letters of recommendation for students.
“Enhancing access to Illinois’ public universities and community colleges with One Click College Admit will empower even more talented students across the state to realize their full academic potential through higher education,” Governor JB Pritzker says. “This program marks another step in my administration’s steadfast effort to make Illinois the best state in the nation to receive an accessible, high-quality education — one that sets students of all backgrounds up for lifelong success.”
“One Click College Admit will ensure every student a spot at one of our state public institutions – making our state’s higher education system more accessible and equitable. Getting into college will be easy and stress-free for students and parents in Illinois,” Illinois Board of Higher Education Executive Director Ginger Ostro says. “This new program is designed to remove barriers often encountered when applying to college, especially for students who are the first in their family to go to college.”
High school seniors can begin getting automatic acceptances to Illinois public colleges and universities through One Click College Admit now for enrollment in the fall of 2026 by creating a Common App account and entering basic information and their GPA.
“We know from the latest research that a college degree remains one of the most reliable paths to higher income and economic mobility for students from all backgrounds,” State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders says. “One Click College Admit is removing barriers and making the path to higher education as simple as possible, so more Illinois students can access the opportunities and earning potential that come with a degree.”
Beginning with the class of 2027, Illinois high school students will be able to opt in to the program during their junior year through an online form, ensuring they are eligible to receive direct admission for the student’s GPA to be shared with ISAC to match with the GPA admission required offers during the fall of their senior year. By opting in to the program, parental consent is given at partner public universities, which will give the student direct admission offers.
“Programs like One Click College Admit continue to streamline the college admissions process that will help keep Illinois’ best and brightest in our state,” Dr. Jason Leahy, Executive Director of the Illinois Principals Association says. The IPA looks forward to continuing to work with the state agencies to ensure our young people find educational opportunities in Illinois that best meet their needs.”
While Illinois’ community colleges operate under an open enrollment model and don’t hold GPA requirements for admission, One Click College Admit will make sure high school seniors know that enrolling at community colleges is an option to continue their higher education.
Starting in January 2026, One Click College Admit will also serve community college students. To participate in the program, community college students wanting to receive a direct admission offer to an Illinois public university must complete an online opt-in form. By opting in to the program, consent is given for the student’s GPA and required 30 transferable credit hours to be shared with ISAC to match with the admission requirements at partner public universities to identify the direct admission offers.
Visit the One Click College Admit website for detailed directions on how to participate in the program.
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